A Story of Wind and Fire
by insanemonkeyboy
Summary: On the way back from a Council request, Lucy opens a box that must not be opened... The results will change the future of the guild forever. Natsu x older Wendy. I don't ship NaLu. There is a little NaLu at the beginning of this story, but this is a NaWen fanfic. Rated M for future violence, and possibly lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Fairy Tail. Or the Characters. Hiro Mashima owns all that.

So, I actually hadn't planned on starting this yet, but I had this idea for a NaWen fanfic and decided to at least lay out the beginning of it. It'll probably be pretty short, maybe 4 or 5 chapters, but right now preference will go to either my NaMiZa or Natsu x Brandish fic, so don't expect to update too soon.

Anyway, here's the first chapter**

* * *

 **~~~Some time after the war with Alvarez~~~**

"Wow, I can't believe that was so easy," Wendy said.

She, Natsu, and Lucy, along with Happy and Carla, were on their way back from a magic council quest, carrying a strange looking metal box.

"I wonder what's in this box that the council wants to keep hidden?" Lucy said, eyeing the box curiously. "Maybe we should open it and find out."

"No," Natsu said emphatically. "The council said it must not be opened under any circumstances, and for once I agree with them. This box reeks of dark magic."

"Oh, alright." Lucy pouted. "But only because you say so." She gave him a peck on the cheek.

Wendy fumed inwardly. It wasn't that she was in love with Natsu… He was more like a big brother to her, right? But she didn't like his relationship with Lucy. She could tell that the dragon slayer actually cared for the blonde, but she seemed to treat him more as a trophy. Some people at the guild were even getting sick of her bragging about her relationship and how strong her Natsu was.

"Is something wrong Wendy?" Natsu asked.

"Oh, it's nothing Natsu." Wendy replied, realizing the other dragon slayer had picked up on her mood. She put on a smile. "Guess I was just thinking is all."

"Is that right?" Natsu gave her his toothy grin. "What about?"

"Oh… Just all the stuff that's happened to us recently… It's hard to believe it's been less than 3 years since I joined the guild."

"You can say that again," Natsu said. "It feels like you've been part of the family forever. In fact – LUCY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He cut off suddenly, his voice sounding alarmed.

"And if I do this," Lucy was saying at that moment. And suddenly the box popped open. There was a swirl of black mist, and suddenly a demon stood before them.

"So, you're the foolish girl who opened the box," the demon said with an evil smirk, looking at Lucy. "Now you must suffer the consequences."

"What… What are the consequences?" Lucy quavered.

"You return with me to hell." The demon smirked. "But don't worry," he added as she recoiled. "You'll come back to this same spot… in six years."

"Six years?!" Lucy quavered.

"Assuming you survive that long, of course," the demon smirked.

"Wait!" Natsu ran forward, standing in front of Lucy. "If you have to take someone back with you, take me."

"You're not as cute as the girl," the demon said. "But… you might be more fun."

Wendy looked from Natsu to the demon to Lucy. Why wasn't Lucy doing anything to stop him?

"No Natsu-nii!" Wendy shouted. "You can't!"

Natsu turned to her, the usual fire in his eyes with just a hint of sadness. "It's just six years, right? I'll come back stronger than ever Wendy."

To Lucy. "Wait for me Lucy… I love you."

And just like that, he was gone.

"Natsu…" Wendy collapsed to the ground, her body shaking with the force of her tears. She couldn't believe what just happened. Carla was quick to come to her, while Happy was still staring in shock at the place where Natsu had just been.

This couldn't be real. Natsu-nii couldn't be gone… not like that. And all because some blonde couldn't contain her curiosity. Wendy looked up through her tears at Lucy, who was also crying softly. She looked sad, but also a little… relieved?

 _You bitch!_ Wendy wanted to scream. _Your fiancé is gone and all you're thinking about is yourself!_ She couldn't bring the words to her lips, but she made a decision then and there. When Natsu-nii returned, she wasn't going to let him get back with Lucy.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Happy curl up into a ball, weeping. "Natsu…" he cried. "Natsu…"

She went over to him. Natsu was gone, and she would have to be their strength until he returned. She comforted the exceed through her tears, picking him up along with Carla and holding them both to her chest.

"We'll see him again someday…" she murmured, needing to believe that was true.

 **~~~At the guild hall~~~**

When the doors opened Erza looked up expectantly. "So, did you recover the item Nats…?" Her question trailed off as the group came in. All of them looked fairly depressed. Wendy was carrying the two exceeds. Happy seemed devastated, and Carla was sad as well. Lucy was carrying a box, but there was no magic power coming from it. If it was really a cursed item, there should've been a lot of magic power.

"What happened?" Erza asked dangerously.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gray said beside her. "Flame brain opened the box!"

"Natsu would never do that!" Erza growled at the ice mage. "He may be an idiot sometimes, but he wouldn't mess with something like that. Right, guys?"

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

It was at that moment that the emotional dam she'd built up broke. She couldn't be the strength that they needed her to be. Not now. Not without Natsu to be her strength. She ran to Erza, pressing her head against her as the tears started afresh.

"Wendy!" The red-haired mage was surprised.

"Natsu-nii… Natsu-nii…" she stuttered, unable to get the words out, choking on them.

"What about Natsu, Wendy?" Erza asked gently.

"Natsu-nii took the curse for Lucy!" Wendy bawled, barely getting it out before her tears were renewed again.

All eyes in the guild turned to Lucy, who just looked down at the empty box in her hands.

"I couldn't help it… I was curious…" She said.

"Curious?!" Erza growled, her eyes flashing red with anger. "You were curious?" She started to advance toward the blonde mage.

"Erza-nee…" Wendy clutched the older mage tightly. She wanted to see Lucy take a beating, but she didn't want Erza to do something she would regret later in her anger.

"Wendy…" Erza looked down at her, surprised, then hugged her against her breastplate tightly. It hurt a little, and Wendy whimpered under her strong grip.

"Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy. My office. Now." Makarov was at the bar, and he'd never looked more grim.

"Erza, you come too. It's been decided you'll be the next guild master, and that may happen sooner than you think." He added. "So you need to hear this as well.

Wendy gathered her strength and followed the master into his office.

 **~~~Erza~~~**

She sat next to the guild master across from Wendy and Lucy, with Carla and happy sitting on Wendy's lap. On the one hand, she was more than willing to assume the responsibility of guild master when the time came. However, she really didn't want this to be her first experience.

"Lucy, how about you explain what happened?" Makarov asked, his voice hard.

"I don't know exactly," Lucy said. "It was a puzzle box… I guess I really can't resist a good puzzle… So I had to try to solve it. I was going to stop before the last step, but I kind of… got carried away…"

"So how did Natsu end up with the curse?" Erza asked, fire in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't resist a good puzzle? Did she have any idea what this meant?

"Erza," she looked at Makarov, and saw a reproving, yet gentle look on his face. "You are here mainly to observe. If you believe that I missed any pertinent information, you may ask once I have concluded the debriefing."

"Yes master, I'm sorry." Erza inclined her head slightly in respect.

"Now Lucy, when you opened the box, what happened? Where were Natsu and Wendy?"

"They were walking a little in front of me. I fell behind a bit because I was trying to solve the puzzle. They were talking about something. I think Natsu realized what I was doing, but by that time it was too late to stop it…"

"Is that how you remember it, Wendy?" The guild master asked her gently, cutting the explanation off.

Wendy nodded, summoning all the strength she could muster. "Natsu was just saying that even though I've only been with the guild for less than 3 years, it feels like I've been a part of the family for as long as he could remember…" her voice broke, and her eyes filled with tears again. Carla was quick to comfort her, while Happy seemed in no condition to comfort anyone. The blue exceed's eyes hadn't left the ground since they arrived.

"That sounds like Natsu," the guild master said, offering the girl a gentle smile. Then he turned back to Lucy. "So you opened the box… then what?"

"Well, a demon appeared," Lucy said. "And… he said that because I'd opened that box, I would have to go spend 6 years in hell. I confronted the consequences bravely, of course. But then Natsu jumped in, insisting that the demon take him instead. I tried to stop him, of course, but he wouldn't hear of it…" She lowered her head, tears coming to her eyes. "Maybe I should've tried harder. Then he'd be the one here instead of me."

"You musn't blame yourself for Natsu's actions, child." Makarov said. "Once he puts his mind to something, there's nothing in Earthland that can change it."

While Makarov was talking, Erza was watching the members across the table from them. Wendy's face was turning red as the conversation went on, and Erza could sense anger from the blue-haired girl. Something that surprised her, as it wasn't an emotion that she would often attribute to Wendy. She wanted to ask her about it, but waited as the guild master had instructed her.

"Well Lucy," Makarov said after a few moments. "I'm going to have to report this to the magic council. There will be a trial, and likely punishment of some kind…"

"What?" Lucy said. "I thought Warrod said there would be no punishment even if the box was opened…"

"That's not exactly what he said," Makarov replied. Erza was watching Wendy intently now, seeing the bluenette's face flushing darker with anger. "What he said, exactly, is 'Even if someone does open that box, they won't have to worry about getting punished by the council.' I'm pretty sure Councilman Warrod wasn't considering the possibility that somebody else would end up taking the curse on himself." He then looked at the blonde mage. "I trust that you will be ready and willing to accept whatever punishment the council decides is just?"

Lucy stuttered for a few minutes before lowering her head. "Yes, master." She replied.

"Very well then." Makarov said. "Erza, do you have anything to add?"

"Just one thing." Erza said. She looked at Wendy. "Was there anything you wanted to say, Wendy?"

Wendy's little fists were clenched tightly, and her face was still flushed, but she shook her head. "No Erza-nee…"

"Alright, then I guess we're—"

"YES!" Wendy said suddenly, and her sudden volume shocked Erza. She turned to Lucy. "You're a lying bitch!" She practically yelled at her. "All you did was sit there and quiver in fear while Natsu took your curse on himself. You didn't even try to stop the man you say you love from taking your place."

"I…" Lucy started, but before she could continue Wendy cut her off.

"Did you think I didn't see you?!" Her voice was rising now. "When the demon agreed to take Natsu instead of you, you actually looked _relieved._ Natsu was willing to die for you. You could've at least tried to stop him! Or at the very least told him you would wait. Heh – you didn't even say that!"

"Well who do you think has a better chance of surviving 6 years in hell?!" Lucy retorted, her face beet red from being exposed.

"What the fuck does that matter?!" Wendy yelled, tears streaming from her face. "Who's the one who decided she just had to open the box? Despite being told not to by the magic council and Natsu?!"

"I—"

"Out." Makarov interrupted whatever Lucy was about to say. Erza felt his magic power flaring up next to her, though his face betrayed no emotion. "Now."

His face remained the same, but his tone softened as he added "Wendy, Happy, Carla, you leave too. I need some time alone."

Lucy looked like she was about to say something, but after looking at Makarov and Erza she just hurried out of the room. Wendy, Carla, and Happy followed her.

Erza took a few minute to compose herself before heading back into the guild. Lucy had slipped into a table near Gray and Juvia. Wendy, Carla, and Happy were by themselves about as far away as they could get from her.

"What happened in their Erza?" She looked up to see Mirajane, her long time friend and rival, standing at the bar near her. "We could all hear Wendy yelling."

Erza struggled to keep her composure. "Can we talk about this somewhere private?"

Mirajane looked around. "Sure. Kinana can manage the bar for a little while."

"Alright," Erza said as they walked to a back room. "But I'm only telling you because I know you can keep things quiet… And because I need somebody to vent to," she added.

A few minutes later, any guild member paying attention could feel the hot, angry glow of Mirajane's demon magic coming from a back room as Erza held the take over mage back. "Look, I know how you feel Mirajane, but we can't do anything about it right now… Just think of what will happen when the council gets the master's report…"

 **~~~About 6 months later~~~**

"Lucy Heartfilia, after careful review of events, this trial determines that you will spend one month in the council prison. This was not an easy decision to come to, considering the severity of this crime, but your obvious remorse and the pain you've experienced in being separated from your fiancé is already a more severe punishment than we could mete out."

Wendy's jaw dropped at the proclamation. This blonde actress really managed to fool everyone. The magic council. The onlookers. Everyone except the guild members who had been closest to Natsu. They were all gathered around her – Gray, Elfman, Erza, who was to become the ninth guild master in 2 months' time, Makarov, Gajeel, Levy, Juvia, Laxus, Lisanna, Macao, Romeo, and Cana. Gildarts still couldn't be found, despite the master enlisting other guilds' help. The Raijinshuu were also there, though mostly out of respect and friendship for Laxus more than their loyalty to Natsu.

Wendy clenched her fists. "I wish this trial happened under the old rules…" She muttered.

Erza put a gentle arm around her, and Wendy knew the older mage knew how she felt. Under the new system, anyone accused of a crime in the magic world was entitled to defense – just like the non-magic users. And Lucy's money had bought her a real snake.

 **~~~Flashback~~~**

"I object, your honor."

"On what grounds?"

"This girl is obviously too emotionally attached to the man in question to give an unbiased view of events. Her previous testimony shows that she idolized Natsu Dragneel, and as such is not a competent witness in this trial. I therefore move that her testimony be stricken from the record."

"Does the defense have a statement prepared to support this motion?"

"We do, your honor."

The defense took out a recording lacrima. "We have pieced together relevant pieces of the girl's prior testimony, and are ready to let this evidence speak for itself."

Wendy shrunk into the witness stand as she heard her own voice played back. "What kind of a man is Natsu Dragneel? Well… He's brave, straightforward, sometimes a little destructive… But he's kind. He never backs down from a challenge, and he always protects those that are dear to him…"

"What else can I say? Natsu-san was the heart of Fairy Tail… No, is the heart of Fairy Tail. Without him we would fall apart."

"Am I attracted to him?" Pause. "If I'm honest I suppose I would have to say yes."

"Best personality traits? His loyalty. His courage. The way he can always make you smile even in the toughest moment…"

"Of course I respect Natsu-san. He's everything that I wish I could be as a mage…."

"Do I miss him? Of course I do… That's like asking if you miss your arm… or leg… or heart. He's a part of me. How could I not miss him?" *soft crying*

"Your honor, we have 2 more minutes of this, but is it really necessary to embarrass the poor girl more? Just look at her. It's obvious she has feelings for the dragon slayer, and she was probably already angry at Lucy Heartfilia for taking away her chance at a relationship with him. Can we really accept testimony from a girl who would no doubt love to see her take a harsh punishment?"

The judge looked over at Wendy, whose face was burning bright red, then back at the counselor. "The movement to strike the witness's testimony from the record is granted."

 **~~~Later~~~**

"So, Master Makarov, you say that when Natsu Dragneel took this curse on himself – of his own volition, of course – my client callously did nothing whatsoever to try to stop him?"

"Yes."

"And where did you get this information, with all due respect?"

Makarov's jaw clenched. "In the debriefing after the request."

"Who specifically told you this?"

Makarov was silent for several long moments.

"The witness will please answer the question."

"Wendy Marvell," he ground out.

"Your honor, I move that this portion of the testimony be stricken from the record on the grounds that the source is unreliable."

"Motion granted."

 **~~~End Flashback~~~**

Happy and Carla had gone through similar treatment. Somehow, Lucy's defense counselor had made it so that no actual witnesses could testify to the events except Lucy, and with nobody to contradict her, her testimony easily stood.

In her moment of triumph, the guild members who knew Lucy could see the faint smile behind the tears that streaked down her cheeks. 1 month for blatantly disobeying the magic council and breaking the seal on a forbidden item was the most lenient sentence she could've gotten. Wendy's face was hot with anger as she watched them lead the blonde mage away.

Next to her, Mirajane was fuming too. "I should've beat the shit out of her when I had the chance…" the demoness growled.

Wendy was just crying again. She couldn't take it. After everything that happened, Natsu was probably struggling just to stay alive right now, while Lucy was headed to a month in a low-security prison cell as punishment. She got up and stormed out of the trial room, her pent-up emotions spilling over yet again.

 **~~~5 and a half years later~~~**

Fairy Tail had changed. It wasn't that the guild was any less powerful. They were still the most powerful guild in Fiore – to the point that they had actually been asked not to compete in the magic tournament for the last 2 years just so another guild had the opportunity to win. They still considered each other family, and they still got all the most lucrative quests in Fiore.

The guild master had changed, but that wasn't really important. Erza Scarlet did very well when it came to keeping Fairy Tail's purpose and vision alive.

No, the main way that Fairy Tail changed was that it was quieter. Less expensive, but quieter. It had been over 5 years since their last guild-wide brawl. Over 5 years since the boisterous shouts of rivals exchanging blows had been heard in their halls.

There had been weddings. Juvia and Gray had gotten married. Elfman had married Evergreen, and Gajeel and Levy were also married. Gajeel had insisted on singing a song of his own composition for his wedding, so earplugs were secretly handed out to all attendees.

Lucy had left Fairy Tail and was married to Eve of Blue Pegasus. Her last words to Wendy, who tried to call her out on leaving her supposed love, were that Natsu didn't stand a "chance in hell" of coming back alive, after which she giggled a little, and that she had to move on with her life. She'd waited a whole 8 months after she got out of prison before announcing her relationship with Eve.

And now, 5 and a half years after the trial, Wendy got up wordlessly from her table and headed out of the guild.

"Where's Wendy going?" Mirajane asked Erza, the 9th guild master, quietly.

"I don't know, but let's just let her be. It's been six years since that day…" Erza said quietly.

"She never really got over it," Mira said, watching the girl's retreating figure. Of everyone in the guild, she's taken it the hardest."

Erza nodded, watching the retreating dragon slayer sadly. "Sometimes I still regret staying back from that mission. I thought it was an easy mission, something they could handle themselves."

She was surprised when Mira put a comforting arm around her. "Sometimes I regret not beating that blonde within an inch of her life." The silver-haired demon of Fairy Tail replied. "It sometimes seems that she leads a charmed life…"

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

It had taken the better part of the evening to get there, but once she arrived she set up camp. She had to be there the next day, around this time. Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were of the fateful day…

The next morning she awakened really early, after fitful dreams. She took out some stale bread and dried meat from her pack and had a makeshift breakfast. Then sat and waited.

She couldn't remember exactly what time it had happened. She only knew it was sometime before the lunch hour. For 3 hours she waited there, alone with her memories. And then suddenly, it happened.

The air shimmered several feet from her, and she jumped to her feet to watch. Suddenly a pink haired head appeared through the portal, followed by the rest of the dragon slayer – without a shred of clothing on his body, save the scarf that Igneel gave him. Wendy instantly blushed a deep red, then ran to him as the naked dragon slayer tumbled to the ground in front of her.

"Natsu!" She cried out. She pressed her hands against his naked chest, letting her healing magic flow. Slowly his multiple lacerations began to close, and his breathing became a little easier. As she looked at him, she saw that his body was now covered in scars from head to toe. Evidence of the hellish life he'd been leading these last years.

Suddenly he started up with a scream, clawing at the air and gasping. His eyes opened wide. Wendy instinctively pulled him into a hug. "Natsu… It's ok… I'm here."

"Wendy?" The dragon slayer's voice was uncertain as his breathing slowed. Then he returned the hug, squeezing her gently against him. "Thank the gods…"

After a moment he let go. "I'm… sorry about that." Then he looked down. "And this!" He said, blushing deeply as he took his scarf and wrapped it around his nether regions.

"I guess this'll have to do till we get home…" he said.

"I'll buy you some clothes as soon as we get to town," Wendy said, small tears in her eyes. "It's the least I could do."

"One more thing Wendy…" Natsu said as she turned, ready to go back and tell the guild the good news. "Where's Lucy? I thought she'd be here…"

"Lucy…" Wendy's cheeks flushed in anger. "Lucy is married to Eve, from Blue Pegasus." She said bluntly.

Natsu looked as though she'd just stabbed him in the heart. "Oh…"

"Natsu…" Wendy said softly, tears in her eyes again as she went back to hug the dragon slayer.

After a moment he pulled back and ruffled her hair. "You've really grown up, haven't you Wendy?" He commented.

Wendy smiled, glad he'd noticed. She was several inches taller than the girl who'd watched him disappear 6 years ago. Her hips had widened out, and her breasts had grown out to C cups.

"Are you able to travel?" She asked, concerned.

Natsu grinned, that old, toothy grin that she'd missed so much. Just seeing it again brought tears to her eyes. "You bet," he said. "Ain't nothing can keep me down long!"

Then his stomach growled, and he put his hand behind his head sheepishly. "Sorry. I've had nothing but hell fire to eat for the past 6 years… Well, I guess I could've tried demon, but that would've been too much like eating Mirajane."

Wendy smiled. Perhaps her first genuine smile in 6 years. "Then after we get you clothes we'd better stop at a restaurant."

"Are you sure? I feel like I could eat a dragon!"

"It's on me, so eat whatever you want."

"Alright!" Natsu grinned.

 **~~~At the guild~~~**

Erza sighed as she looked out over the guild. Wendy still hadn't returned yet, and apparently even Happy and Carla didn't know where she was. They'd come in that morning asking if anyone had seen her.

"I hope she's alright," the 9th guild master whispered as she looked at the doors.

"I'm sure she's fine," Mira reassured her from the bar. The silver-haired mage was also looking toward the door, waiting for Wendy to return.

"If you're so sure, why do you look worried?" Erza said with a half grin.

Mira blushed. "I just hope she's not having a relapse," she said. "You remember how she took it after it first happened…"

Erza nodded. The bluenette hadn't come to the guild for a week. When she finally did show back up, she'd lost a significant amount of weight from not eating.

Suddenly, the door to the guild flew violently off its hinges and across the room, smashing into the table where Gray was sitting across from Juvia. Erza's hand went to her sword hilt instantly, and she could feel Mira's magic at the ready. There was a mage with truly immense magic power at the door, and as the dust cleared his figure came into full view. A pink haired mage wearing black pants, a black vest, and a white, one of a kind scarf wrapped around his neck stood in the doorway, with Wendy just behind him.

"I'm back!"

Erza's hand dropped to her side, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Next to her, she felt Mira's magic change as well. "N….N…. Natsu?" She broke into a sprint.

"Natsu!" Mirajane was right beside her, and together the friends and rivals tackled the dragon slayer to the floor.

"Natsu, I can't believe it!" Erza exclaimed as she pulled back from the dragon slayer. "I thought you were dead."

"Well, I was very nearly dead… several times," the dragon slayer said. "But," he added with a grin, "whenever I thought of my home and my family, it gave me the strength to keep going!"

Erza looked up at Wendy and saw her smile, with tears in her eyes. "So that's where Wendy went…" she said quietly to herself. "After all those years, she never gave up."

"What the fuck flame brain?!" Gray said as he charged forward heatedly. "You come back and the first thing you do is smash my table with a door!"

"Bring it ice princess!"

Gray was stopped by Erza, who glared at both of them. "You two will get along while I'm around, at least." She growled.

"Yes, master." Gray apologized.

Natsu looked at her. "Master?" He said. Erza just nodded. "Congratulations, Erza." He grinned. "That's great."

"I can't believe it…" Mirajane said beside her. "6 years in hell, and he comes back our same old Natsu."

 **~~~A few minutes later, after everyone said hello~~~**

"Where are Happy and Carla?" Wendy asked.

"They went back to your house to look for you."

"We'd better go see them," Wendy said. "They'll want to see you too, of course."

"Alright!" Natsu fist-pumped.

 **~~~At Wendy's house~~~**

"Natsu!" exclaimed Happy, leaping into the dragon slayer's arms. "You're alive! You're here!"

"Welcome home Natsu," Carla said, smiling.

Natsu grinned and hugged Happy. "Thanks Carla. Of course I'm alive, Happy! You didn't think I'd let a few measly demons get the better of me, did you?"

Happy didn't answer as he hugged the dragon slayer in tears.

"Wendy, can I sleep on your couch?" Natsu asked suddenly. "I'm really, really tired."

"Sure Natsu,"

The dragon slayer flopped onto her couch, and in moments he was asleep.

 _He's so cute when he's asleep…_ Wendy thought as she watched him.

But his gentle breathing didn't last long. After a couple moments his face contorted, as though in pain, and he whimpered softly. Moments later he began thrashing about on her couch. After no more than 5 minutes, he sat bolt upright with a scream.

"Natsu…" Wendy felt a fresh pain in her heart as she looked at him. He was sweating profusely, and it took several moments before his eyes came into focus.

He sat there on the couch for a few more minutes before getting up. "Aren't you going to sleep more, Natsu?" She asked, surprised.

"Huh? Oh.. No, not yet. That's about all the sleep my body's used to getting at one time…"

She looked at him, shocked, unable to think of anything to say.

"Yeah, I know. Pretty weird, huh?" Natsu grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sure I'll be back to normal eventually. For now, let's all get back to the guild"

"I certainly hope so," Wendy whispered as the dragon slayer left, before following after him. "What exactly happened to you these last 6 years, Natsu… and how can you be so strong?"


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Fairy Tail. I don't own the characters. Hiro Mashima owns it all.

So anyway, I'm posting chapter 2 of this today. Next chapter I post will probably be on NaMiZa. Though Natsu x Brandish is also pretty high on the priority list.

Anyway, here's chapter 2**

* * *

"Fight, begin!"

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu grinned as Erza requipped to her flame empress armor. She leapt forward quickly, her blade cutting at the dragon slayer, who dodged easily.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" He shot his breath attack at her, which she dodged just at the last moment, coming in again with a slice aimed for his left side. This time he caught the sword between his palms and redirected it to the left, moving around to the right while wrapping his foot in fire and swinging it in a fast arc to connect with the redhead's back.

"Ooof!" She staggered forward a few paces, then turned her guard up.

"You'll never be fast enough to hit me with that armor," Natsu taunted, grinning.

"We'll see about that!" Erza rushed forward, aiming blow after blow at the dragon slayer. He dodged every one of them easily, though they were so fast that many guild members couldn't even fully follow the motions.

"Fine, I'll just force you to requip to something else then." Natsu grinned mischievously. "Fire Dragon's sword horn!"

The attack hit and, to Erza's surprise, shattered her flame empress armor. Was it even possible for a fire attack to shatter her fire resistant armor in a single hit?

She quickly requipped to her clear heart clothing. With that, she would certainly be fast enough to land a hit on the dragon slayer. "You've really gotten a lot stronger," she said, smiling. "But let's see how you do against my fastest attacks."

Taking a deep breath, she focused all of her energy into the strike, pivoting her right foot in preparation for the attack. She had to go faster. Too fast for him to move in time. Too fast for him to counter.

Her mental preparation complete, the red-haired mage closed the distance in the blink of an eye, her sword slicing in at his chest. She felt it stop, but too early. It shouldn't have connected with anything yet.

Then she realized that the blade was between the dragon slayer's palms. With a sudden motion, he broke the sword in half, letting the half that was in his palms fall to the ground. Then, faster than she could retaliate, he thrust his fire-covered hand out like a claw into her chest, making contact and knocking her back 50 feet. She gasped in pain as she hit the ground.

"Alright Natsu, I concede the fight." She said as she got back up. Erza wasn't the kind of person to give up in a fight that really mattered, but she knew when she'd lost a guild sparring contest. It was clear that Natsu was now much stronger than she was.

 **~~~A few days later~~~**

"Hey Natsu, how about you go a few rounds with the old man!"

Gildarts was back. Erza looked up with a smile as he came in. The older mage doubtless had hundreds of things he would've liked to say to Natsu, but he knew the best way to lift his spirits. By declaring that he wanted to fight Natsu, Gildarts had acknowledged him as a worthy opponent.

"Alright!" The dragon slayer grinned. "I'm all fired up! Where do we fight?"

"As far from the guild as possible!" Erza cut in. "I'd hate to see the repair bill if the guild became collateral damage in your fight."

"Hehe." Gildarts and Natsu both rubbed the back of their heads.

Soon the entire guild was out, about a half mile from the guild in the forest, watching as the two powerful mages prepared to battle.

"Crash!" Gildarts started, aiming a powerful attack at Natsu.

"Fire Dragon's Talon!" Natsu intercepted the attack with his own, taking no damage from it.

"I see I don't have to hold back," Gildarts said, and the rest of the guild backed away nervously.

Erza watched as Gildarts released his full magic power, a sight rarely seen by guild members. Around her, people cowered in terror, but she just smiled. Gildarts had just truly acknowledge Natsu as a worthy opponent.

But then she looked at Natsu. His eyes were no longer the eyes of a dragon slayer engaged in a friendly magic duel, but something else entirely. With a bestial scream he leapt forward, leading with a fire dragon king's demolition fist that fully countered Gildarts' initial attack and knocked the surprised mage into the ground. His arms coated in fire and changed to resemble dragons' limbs, complete with scales and talons, and he landed punch after punch on the mage, tearing at his skin as all Gildarts could do was block.

"Natsu!" Erza called loudly. "That's enough!" She could feel the heat from his body – so intense that it was beginning to melt the clothes off of the guild members. But he didn't seem to hear. His dragon claws were tearing into Gildarts' sides mercilessly. "Natsu!" she screamed, almost crying. She tried to run in, but the heat was too intense.

Just then she saw Wendy, her clothes fully melted off now, approaching the dragon slayer through the heat. She knelt down by him and put her arms around him, whispering something to him.

Suddenly, unbelievably, the air around them cooled off, leaving the entire guild in their underwear. Natsu's eyes returned to normal slowly, as he whimpered "Wendy?" Then they widened in shock. He looked at Gildarts, who was laying there with deep lacerations on each side, blood pooling on the ground around him. "Oh fuck… What did I do?"

Without another word, he jumped up and fled from the scene. Wendy healed Gildarts as much as she could, and Erza saw him whisper something to her. She nodded, and ran quickly after Natsu.

Gildarts slowly got up, making his way back over to the guild, all of whom were still in shock.

"Don't be too hard on the boy," he told Erza. "He didn't know what he was doing…"

"Oh, and Mira," he flipped the girl a casual grin. "I wouldn't suggest using Satan Soul around Natsu anytime soon."

"Gildarts," Erza said quietly. "We need to talk."

Gildarts just nodded, then headed off back to the guild.

 **~~~Natsu~~~**

"I see I don't have to hold back." Suddenly Gildarts disappeared, and in his place was a massively powerful demon, leering at him.

"So you haven't learned enough about pain yet?" The demon laughed, holding a long whip laced with sharp metal blades in its right hand. "Allow me to teach you more."

With a scream Natsu leapt at him, entering fire dragon king mode and using the demolition fist without a second thought. The attack connected, much to his surprise, knocking the demon to the ground. If he were on earthland he would've backed off, letting his opponent regain his feet, but through the last few years of pain and scarring he'd learned you couldn't let demons get back up. He used the new technique he'd learned, turning his arms to dragons arms, and beating the creature before him.

"Natsu…" Suddenly he heard a soothing voice and felt warm arms around him. He stopped, confused. He knew that voice, and the touch. "Wendy?" Suddenly his eyes focused in again, and he saw his good friend, mentor, and secondary father figure on the ground. His flesh was torn and ripped on his sides, and some of his organs were showing through the wounds. "Oh fuck… What did I do?"

He fled from the scene, afraid of who he was. Of what he was becoming. He knew if he'd been allowed to continue he would've killed the old man. If Wendy hadn't brought him back to his senses, Fairy Tail would be down one more mage… and he'd be facing the magic council.

As he sobbed, not far away in the forest, he smelled Wendy approaching.

"Stay back," he cried out. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't Natsu," Wendy said.

"How can you believe that? You saw what I did to Gildarts!"

"Because I know you, Natsu. What you did to Gildarts was instinct. It was a reflex that you learned over the last 6 years. You didn't lose it like that when you fought Erza."

"Yeah, but I didn't have to fight full power against Erza," Natsu replied, remembering how he'd been able to get the redhead to concede with relative ease.

"And that's helpful, Natsu," Wendy said, continuing to move closer. "It's good to know that this won't happen unless it's someone you have to go all out against."

"I'm turning into a real monster, Wendy."

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

It tore her heart to hear him say that. To see her rock in such a vulnerable position. When she was finally close enough, she pulled the other dragon slayer to her, cradling his head in her lap.

"Natsu…" she whispered softly. "You're not a monster. You never will be…"

She was a little confused by the emotions flooding her right now. She'd always thought of Natsu as a brother, but right now… she wanted him to be more than a brother. She wanted him to be hers. To be only hers, in a way that nobody else could have him. Her heart ached for the dragon slayer and all the pain he'd gone through. The pain that he was still going through.

His stricken whimpers slowly faded, and she looked down to see that he'd fallen asleep. Her eyes were drawn to his muscular chest, and she traced some of the deep scars that now defined his figure. With a wave of sorrow she realized that many of these scars went much deeper than his skin. Much deeper than any in the guild could know.

It wasn't until Natsu's eyes opened nearly 10 minutes later and he stared up at her, his face turning a deep shade of red, that she realized she was still naked. "Look away, idiot!" she yelled, blushing furiously. With a gulp he did as she demanded, handing her his vest to help cover up.

 **~~~At the guild~~~**

"I have an idea of how we might be able to figure out more, but I don't really know if it'll work," Gildarts said to Erza.

"Well, why don't you tell me, and we can give it a try?" Erza replied.

"It involves Mirajane," Gildarts said. "Which is why I don't know if it will work. But she should know for sure."

Erza nodded and went out into the guild hall. People had pretty much fully recovered from what had happened. Those who were close to Natsu before were still visibly worried and upset, but everyone else seemed back to normal.

"Mira, come back here for a few minutes. I need to talk to you," she told the silver-haired mage.

Mira nodded and came to the back room with Gildarts and Erza.

"Mira," Gildarts said. "Is it possible for us to communicate directly with the souls you possess?"

"You mean, like talk to Halphas or Sitri? Yes." Mirajane replied.

"And if we did talk to them, would they be willing to help us?"

Mirajane thought about that for a few minutes. "I think so." She said. "The souls I've taken over are attuned to me – to my emotions, needs, desires, and wants. So there's a good chance that they would be as helpful as they can be, in their own way of course."

Erza nodded. "Well, right now that's the best we can hope for. Could you call out Sitri for us then?"

Mirajane looked from one to the other. "This is about Natsu, isn't it?"

Erza nodded her confirmation.

Mirajane sighed. "Alright, I can do this for Natsu…" A moment later, Sitri stood before them.

"Sitri…" Gildarts began. "You know why Mirajane called you out?"

"Of course," the demoness smirked.

"So, we have some questions about one of our… One of Mira's comrades."

"And you think a demon can help you why?"

"Well… He's kind of been through hell."

Sitri rolled her eyes. "You humans don't even know what hell is."

"No, we don't." Gildarts replied. "But he does," he added meaningfully.

Sitri stared at him. "You mean he's literally been through hell?"

"For 6 years," Erza confirmed.

"And he survived?" Sitri's eyes widened. "Impressive. I want to meet this person."

"Not right now you don't," Gildarts said with a little bit of a smirk.

"No… I suppose not." Sitri eyed him. "I take it those wounds are the reason you're talking to me?"

"Yes," Gildarts said. "Anything you can tell us would be helpful."

"One thing I can tell you – you're lucky he stopped while you were alive."

"I know." Gildarts said. "I could see that in his eyes. I want to know why."

"Well, that's easy." Sitri said. "You know why it's called hell, don't you? Even the demons would do anything to get out."

Erza shuddered at the proclamation, but looked at the demoness. "So why?"

Sitri smirked. "You really don't know anything, do you? Alright. I'll educate you for free this time, but only because I know Mirajane really cares about this person. Next time, there will be a price."

"The first thing you should know is that demons in hell don't die. The best that you can do is banish them to a different level."

"Now the way that you do that is the same way that you would go about killing someone on this plane. You beat them until they lose all their energy and life force, and they're reincarnated, so to speak, at a different level of hell. Even the fastest demons won't get back to the upper levels for 3 or 4 days. And if you don't send them back, more will keep coming."

"You should also know that there's no space for mistakes in hell. Especially as you reach the upper levels where the most powerful demons live. If you stay on the bottom levels, you can fight the low level demons all day, but they'll keep getting back to you so fast you'll get worn down quickly. Your only chance is to fight on the upper levels, but then you'll be fighting demons on my level or higher."

She smirked. "We don't have a lot of the emotions you humans do. So in a battle with one of us, you hesitate, you lose. And it's not just a little duel where you can come back and do better the next time. You lose as a human in hell, you're dead."

Erza and Gildarts looked at each other, pain in their eyes. No wonder Natsu's instincts had kicked in when faced with the full power of Gildarts' magic. For six years he'd been living in a constant state of kill or be killed, where his opponents were as unmerciful as they could be.

"Of course, some of the demons might not kill you right away… they would torture you for a while first." She said. "Especially if you're a really powerful human, there's a good chance that they would keep you alive for a while just to watch you squirm."

Suddenly Sitri disappeared, and Mira was back to her human self. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I can hear everything that's going on… between that and how quickly Sitri drains my magic power, I couldn't hold the take over anymore."

"No need to be sorry about it," Erza said with a smile. "I think we learned what we need to know."

"Perhaps more than we need to know…" Gildarts said quietly, pain evident in his eyes.

The same feeling was reflected in Erza's heart as she spoke. "I know Natsu probably wouldn't want us to know… but in this guild each member's burden is everyone's burden. The least we can do is help him bear it in any way that we can."

"It's interesting how he responded to Wendy," Mirajane said thoughtfully. "I wonder if there's something to that."

Erza smiled. "I hope so. It could just be the key to helping him get a handle on this thing," she responded.

"It's likely it has to do with her being there when he left and when he came back," Gildarts said thoughtfully. "It probably strengthens the connection between them and allows her to get through to him when nobody else can…"

"You mean he's in love with her?" Mira giggled.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," Gildarts said. "But certainly there's a connection there."

Erza smiled. "No denying that," she said.

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

"Thanks for everything, Wendy," Natsu said. They were back in the younger dragon slayer's apartment now. Wendy was sitting on the couch, fully clothed again, and Natsu's head was resting on her lap.

"It's nothing you wouldn't have done for me," Wendy said, her fingers resting on his cheek.

"Mmm.." Natsu closed his eyes. "But you were there for me when I came back… You were willing to risk your body to stop me before I went to far… You don't know how much that means to me Wendy. You're so strong…" He mumbled, his breath becoming more even as he started to drift off again. "I wish I could be as strong as you, Wendy…"

Tears came to her eyes as sleep claimed him. "Idiot," she whispered to his sleeping form. "You've always been the strong one… If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have the strength to be here right now."

"He's still only sleeping for a few minutes at a time?" Wendy looked up, startled. She'd been so caught up in the moment that she hadn't noticed Carla come in.

"Yeah," she smiled softly down at the dragon slayer. "Though he is going as long as 10 minutes occasionally now."

"Wow, a whole 10 minutes? He'll be back to normal in no time at this rate!" The sarcasm was evident in Carla's voice.

"He's had to learn to sleep like this over 6 years, Carla. We can't expect it to change back overnight."

"I know," Carla said. "And believe me, I'm not trying to belittle you or him. I know I don't show it often, Wendy, but it hurts me too to see him like this…"

"I know," Wendy smiled at the exceed. "I've gotten pretty good at reading you over the years we've been together Carla."

"I suppose it would be shocking if you hadn't," Carla replied with a short laugh.

Just then Natsu's eyes snapped open again, and for a moment that unfamiliar look of fear came over his features. But as his eyes found Wendy he seemed to relax again, resting against her.

"Stay with me?" He whispered, his eyes pleading with her.

Wendy could only nod as she choked back tears.


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Fairy Tail. I don't own the characters. It all belongs to Hiro Mashima.

Well. This is chapter 3. Not much else to say except R&R please.**

* * *

"Finally, nobody, and I do mean nobody, is to speak a word about Natsu's fight with Gildarts to anyone outside the guild."

Erza had gathered the entire guild together soon after the fight. Natsu and Wendy weren't there, but she knew that she didn't have to worry about the blue-haired dragon slayer. At this point, she leaned forward, letting her magic presence release. "Is that clear?"

"Yes master!" The whole guild exclaimed as one.

"Good," Erza relaxed her magic power and slipped into a seat at the bar. She saw Mirajane sidle over to the spot across from her.

"Hello Mira," she said quietly.

"Has Natsu come back to the guild yet?" she asked.

Erza shook her head. "We have to give him time, Mira." The 9th guild master knew that the dragon slayer wouldn't come back till he wore his familiar smile again. Whatever else happened, he wasn't going to let his guild mates see his sadness. Only one person could see him in those moments now. Erza wished it could've been her, but she couldn't begrudge the dragon slayer her fortune.

"Thinking about a certain pink-haired dragon slayer?" Mira asked slyly.

"How did you know?" Erza asked, only then realizing that there was a blush on her cheeks. "Oh," she looked away, embarrassed.

"Well, between the two of us, our time for that is past…" Mirajane had a sad smile on her face. "Right now his heart is Wendy's for the taking, assuming she wants it of course."

"She'd be crazy not to…" whispered Erza, remembering the countless times the dragon slayer had saved her and other guild members from death. The cheerful words he'd spoken that restored their hope against overwhelming odds. "Not that I hold it against her."

"She was so hard on herself after the trial," Mira said in agreement. "She kept acting like our Wendy, but I don't think I saw a genuine smile on her face for six years…"

"She may not believe it," Erza said, "but she has an inner strength many could only dream of."

"Indeed she does," Mirajane whispered. "Indeed she does…"

 **~~~Natsu~~~**

 _"You, a mere mortal, think you can defeat a prince of the demons? I will show you the true meaning of pain before I take your soul…"_

 _The demon charged him with two swords, and he got his arms up to block just in time. The dragon scales that now covered them deflected the blades with ease. But the battle was just beginning._

 _He screamed as a blade bit into his side, struggling just to keep consciousness. The demon swords possessed a special magic that amplified the pain sensation 10 times wherever they touched. But he knew to lose consciousness was death. He couldn't give in, not even for a moment._

 _He cried out again in pain as the blade connected with his shoulder, just above the scales. But he continued to fight. He already knew from experience that even if he killed the demon, it would be back. But at least he would have a few days before it could find him again. He saw an opening in the defenses and sprang forward, fighting through the pain of the inevitable blow that slipped past his guard._

 _"Natsu…" He heard a gentle voice coming from somewhere beyond the demon, and he stopped, confused. "Natsu, it's ok… I'm here" There was a sensation of warmth, of comfort that he hadn't experienced since he was stuck in this hell. "Wendy?..."_

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

She found herself in tears again as the dragon slayer thrashed about on her couch, unearthly screams tearing from his lips. She couldn't even imagine what he was seeing right now. She didn't even want to. She just wanted to somehow give him peace. To give him relief from his suffering.

"Natsu…" She said, her heart breaking as she ran her fingers gently through his pink hair. "Natsu, it's ok… I'm here."

"Wendy?" The dragon slayer mumbled, his eyes still not opening.

She cradled his head in her lap, tracing her fingers gently along his cheek. "Yes Natsu. I'm here for you."

His body relaxed again, slowly, before his eyes finally opened. Wendy couldn't help smiling. He'd made it to 10 minutes again.

Slowly he sat up, and Wendy couldn't help being just a little disappointed. Then suddenly she heard a very unladylike noise from her stomach.

"Hungry Wendy?" Natsu asked her as she covered her face with her hands, mortified.

"It's a good thing someone here was thinking about the time." Carla announced. "Dinner's on the table."

It was a very late dinner, so by the time they finished eating it was bedtime. Natsu sat up on the couch as Wendy showered. When she finished, the blue-haired mage came out to the living area.

"Hey Natsu?" She said with a pink tinge to her cheeks.

"What's up Wendy?"

"I thought maybe… you could sleep in my bed tonight?"

Natsu stared at her. "I'll wake you up every time I fall asleep." He said.

"I know," she replied, her eyes meeting his. "But that's a small price to pay…"

Natsu blushed, but came to her room. The two settled down in her bed.

"Natsu?"

"What's up Wendy?"

"Did you and Lucy ever…. You know… do it?" Wendy's face was beet red.

Natsu shook his head. "Nah. She wanted to wait for the wedding night, all romance fantasy style. That was fine with me, of course." He added. "When you really love someone, it's worth waiting as long as you have to for them."

"Do you still love her?" Wendy couldn't believe the words got out of her mouth, and her face turned even darker red.

Natsu shook his head. "I can't… I mean, the feelings are still there a little bit. I don't think they'll totally fade anytime soon. But there's too much hurt now to ever repair them."

Wendy smiled a little bit as she snuggled into her pillow. That was all she needed, for now. "Good night, Natsu."

"Good night," he responded.

 **~~~About a week later, in Crocus~~~**

Lucy was enjoying her trip to the capital city, and spending a little time away from her husband, Eve. She'd quickly learned that while the Trimens were very smooth with women they were courting, they didn't really care much for what they called relationship drama. That basically meant if she had a problem that Eve didn't see as important she should just stuff it and figure it out herself.

She walked into her favorite restaurant, and just happened to see Balaak, one of the newer members of Fairy Tail when she'd left almost 4 years ago, at a table. She decided maybe it was time to catch up on the news with her old guild.

"Hey Balaak!" She called out, waving with the most cheerful smile she could muster. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all, Lucy," the man replied. She came over and slid into the booth across from him.

"Long time no see," she grinned. "Any news at Fairy Tail?"

"You haven't heard?" He said. "Natsu's back."

"Natsu?" She froze.

"Yeah, and he's super powerful. One of the first things he did was challenge Erza to a duel, and he beat her without even going all out."

"Really?" Lucy hoped her smile was convincing. She was wondering how she could find out more without making it obvious that she was digging. Specifically, she wanted to know how the dragon slayer reacted when he found out she was with someone else. Did he challenge Laxus too?"

"Yeah." He grinned. **"** Beat him down too. And then…" He looked around furtively.

"We're not really supposed to talk about this, but I know you can keep a secret, right Lucy? I mean, you were one of us, after all."

Lucy nodded. "Of course I can keep a secret."

"Gildarts challenged him. He was fine at first, but then Gildarts said he could actually take the fight seriously. He released his magic power, which was really scary," Balaak added. "And then Natsu suddenly went berserk. He overpowered Gildarts in the blink of an eye and was tearing into him. Nobody knows what would've happened if Wendy hadn't interfered."

Lucy looked appropriately shocked, hiding the fear that was beginning to build inside her. _If Natsu's that powerful and he's unstable, how does he feel about what I did._ "Tell me," she said with her sweetest smile. "Does Natsu know that I'm married now?"

Balaak stared. "Oh that's right. You and Natsu used to be a thing. Umm.."

"Balaak! We've got to get going!"

"Oh shit, sorry. Gotta' run!"

That night when Lucy got home, she couldn't stop pacing the floor. She knew she couldn't tell Eve. The idiot would either laugh at her fears or go try to fight Natsu. Finally she had an idea.

 **~~~2 days later, Fairy Tail guild Hall~~~**

The guild was quieter than usual today. Natsu was still at Wendy's, which Erza knew meant he was having a difficult time of it that morning. Suddenly the doors were flung open, and faces turned expectantly.

Erza smiled at the door, but her smile vanished when two men in official council attire came in, one of them carrying a rolled up piece of paper. He came to where Erza was sitting at the bar. "Erza Scarlet, 9th master of Fairy Tail?"

"Yes," she replied, trying hard not to betray her anxiousness.

"This is a summons for Natsu Dragneel. The council has received some worrisome reports concerning his behavior since he got back. There will be a trial to discern whether he is fit to remain in Fairy Tail."

"And what happens if this trial decides he's not?" She asked quietly.

"Then he will be removed from the guild and kept somewhere where he won't pose a danger to anyone." The man replied.

Erza worked hard to suppress the anger in her heart. "I can personally assure you that Natsu is not a danger to anyone."

"We'll see about that during the trial." The council member replied.

"What makes you think Natsu is a danger to anyone?"

"We received an anonymous tip that he lost control of himself and beat Gildarts Clive within inches of his life. At first we laughed at the idea, but when we sent one of our spies to check on Gildarts, he confirmed that the man had recently sustained severe injuries."

"The incident has been handled, and nothing has happened since then."

"Miss Scarlet," the other council representative spoke now. "We can't afford to have a loose cannon with enough firepower to overpower a mage of Gildarts' power so easily running amok. Now, you can either cooperate with us to the fullest extent, or we can bring you in for trial as well, for failing to report this incident to the council. And then what would happen to your guild?"

"I want to speak to Councilman Warrod or Councilman Jura."

"You're out of luck. The top wizard saints are all out on a training quest right now. Nobody knows when they'll be back. That, of course, includes Councilman Makarov," he added.

Erza didn't say anything, but she bit her lip in fury, knowing she lost this battle.

"I expect your full cooperation, then." The council rep said. Then the other representative placed the summons in her hand, and the two left the guild amidst the guild members' stares.

"Warren!" Erza yelled with barely suppressed fury. "Send out a message. I need everyone in the guild here – except Natsu and Wendy, immediately. Anyone who doesn't come promptly will be punished severely. Make sure they know that."

"Yes ma'am!"

 **~~~A couple hours later~~~**

Erza, Gildarts, Mirajane, and Laxus emerged from Erza's office to a very full guild. People were mumbling to each other, no doubt wondering what had happened to prompt this sudden summons.

"Everybody listen up." Erza said, loudly. "I'm only going to say this once, so you'd better make sure you get it."

"Somebody in this guild disobeyed a direct order from their guild master. Just over a week ago, I specifically told every one of you here that a certain event was not to be shared, under any circumstances, with anyone outside of this guild. But somebody disobeyed me. Now I need to know who talked, and who they talked to."

Dead silence. Erza scanned the guild for several uncomfortable minutes before continuing. "Alright. I'll give you one last chance to confess. But before that, I'm going to tell you what's going to happen if nobody owns up."

"You see these three guild members beside me? Every one of them has a strong bond with Natsu, and I believe that they also have a certain reputation in this guild. If nobody confesses by the time 5 minutes has gone by, then, starting with the newest members and working backward by date of arrival, you will each have a personal interview. First with Laxus. Then with demon Mirajane. Then with Gildarts. And then with me."

Her eyes burned with anger as she spoke the last part. "And believe me when I say that one of us will find out which one of you talked. And if you don't confess, your punishment will be 10 times harsher."

"Alright, Laxus." She said. "The 5 minutes starts now."

She scanned the room as one minute passed by. People were all looking around, anxious to see a hand go up as they feared being interrogated by the powerful wizards. Many of the newer members were mouthing questions to each other, while the members who had been around since pre-Tenroujima didn't even bother, all knowing that none of them would betray their friend that way.

Two minutes had passed, and the questions had died down. The newer members were still looking around furtively, waiting for a confession.

Three minutes, and Erza noticed one wizard behaving a little differently. Balaak was staring straight ahead, beads of sweat dripping down his face. Erza's hand moved angrily to her sword. Should she call him out now?

No. She would give him the promised time. He might still confess. Four minutes passed, and he was sweating visibly.

Just ten seconds before 5 minutes was up, as she was about to call him out, Balaak finally stood up. "It was me…" He said, trembling with fear.

"Come forward." Erza said quietly, her voice cold as steel. "Who did you tell?"

"L..L…" his voice quavered.

"Lucy?" Erza guessed, her eyes widening with shock.

The boy cowered before her, nodding his head in confirmation. Beside her, Mirajane's demon power flared up. Though she wanted nothing more than to lay into the mage with her sword, she put a calming hand on the other mage's shoulder.

"I'll figure out an appropriate punishment for you later," she said, ice still in her voice. "And believe me, when I'm done you'll never want to betray Fairy Tail again."

She turned to the other three mages who were there with her. "His punishment can wait for a while. Right now, we need to figure out how to keep the council from locking up Natsu."

"Why don't we pool the guild's money and get him the best defense possible?" Laxus asked.

Erza had all but forgotten about the new trial system that had let Lucy get off with almost nothing after her incident.

"Great idea, Laxus. We'll also ask anybody who can to help from their personal savings."

"I'm more than willing to contribute everything I've saved up," Mira said quietly.

"That goes for me as well." Gildarts said. "I don't really need the money anyway."

"I can also contribute a significant amount," Laxus said.

"I'm sure we can count on Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, Levy, Kinana, and Laki as well." Erza said.

"And I'll make sure Freed, Ever, and Bickslow hand over their savings," Laxus said.

"Don't forget Elfman and Lisanna," Mira said. "They'll be happy to contribute."

"And of course Jet and Droy, Romeo and Macao, and Alzack and Bisca."

"And Cana," added Gildarts.

"Well, we shouldn't have any money issues then." Said Erza. "But now we have another problem."

"What's that?" Laxus asked.

"Who's going to tell Natsu? And Wendy?"

Four faces immediately paled at the thought.

 **~~~Wendy's place, that evening~~~**

"What?!" Wendy practically screamed. "You can't be serious! Natsu's not a threat to anyone."

"We know that better than anyone," Mira said quietly. "But unfortunately the council doesn't."

"Fuck the council," Wendy said, and Mira was surprised to hear the language from the gentle girl. "He can't go to trial. He just can't."

"Wendy, I know this is hard, but Natsu's been through a lot of things that were tougher than the trial."

"But that was before." The girl looked up at her, eyes pleading. "You don't understand. You haven't seen what I've seen. Natsu can't go to trial. It's far too risky."

"We don't have a choice in this…"

"I know," Wendy was crying now. "But they can't take him from me. He just came back to me. And he's suffered so much."

"We're getting him the best defense counsel in Fiore, Wendy." Mira said. "I know it's not much comfort, but he'll at least have a chance then, won't he?"

She nodded her head, mutely. "I'll need to be with him at the trial, though."

Mira looked at her with a smile. "We'll figure out a way to make that happen."

As Mira was about to leave, she heard Wendy ask one more question. "How did the council find out about this anyway?"

Mira turned back. She knew that she shouldn't tell the blue haired girl, but she was really angry right now. Somehow, getting Wendy to despise Lucy more felt a little like payback against the blonde mage.

"One of the newer members told Lucy," she said, and then she left.

 **~~~Wendy~~~**

She went back into the bedroom slowly, still wiping the tears from her eyes. She looked at Natsu, who was sitting up on the bed.

"You heard…" it was a statement, not a question. He nodded his response.

"As long as you're there, Wendy, I have nothing to worry about… You will be there right?"

"Of course." Wendy sat down next to him on the bed, hugging him. "I'll always be there, Natsu."

She continued to sit there as she leaned against him, drawing support from his strong arms that were now wrapped around him. She was afraid. Afraid of a future without him. Why did this have to happen? Just when things were getting better?

"Natsu…" She sought his eyes, the realization coming that with his appearance at the council tomorrow, this could be her last day alone with the dragon slayer.

"What's up, Wendy?" Natsu responded.

"Depending on things go, this could be our last day alone together."

"Don't talk like that, Wendy." Natsu held her. "We'll be fine."

"I hope so Natsu… dear gods I hope so. But…"

Suddenly she turned and kissed him. "If it's not, I don't want our last day alone to end like this. I need to tell you… I love you Natsu! I told myself for the longest time it was just a brother-sister love, but I can't lie to myself anymore. I love you."

He seemed shocked at her revelation, but after a couple moments he leaned toward her, pressing his lips against hers. "I love you too, Wendy. More than anybody else in the world. You don't know how happy it made me to hear you say that."

Wendy pushed him back to the bed, kissing him passionately. She reached back and undid her dress, letting it slip off her shoulders. Then she slipped it the rest of the way off.

"Wendy?..." Natsu looked surprised again. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want this to be our last night together," Wendy said quietly, unlatching her bra to reveal her C-cup breasts. "But if it is, I couldn't live if we never did this."

"Wendy…"

"Please Natsu. This is what I want." She slowly slipped the dragon slayer's pants and boxers off, revealing his massive erection.

Natsu slowly relaxed as she slipped her panties off, then moved up to kiss him again with passion. She pulled his vest off as quickly as she could, revealing his muscular chest. His arms wrapped around her tightly as their naked bodies pressed against each other.

When Carla and Happy got home a little later, they heard the noises coming from the bedroom and immediately decided it would be a good night to go out for dinner.


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters. It all belongs to Hiro Mashima.

So this is chapter 4 of this one... Not sure how long I want to leave this hanging, but my next update will probably be back to the Natsu x Brandish fic.

Anyway, enjoy. And as always, R&R**

* * *

 **~~~Crocus, trial room, day 1~~~**

"Gildarts Clive," the council's examiner asked, "when you fought Natsu Dragneel, do you felt that he struggled to overpower you?"

"No." Gildarts answered honestly. He'd been truly impressed by the dragon slayer's strength in that battle.

"So you would say he is quite a bit more powerful than you?"

"I should think that's obvious."

The examiner brought out a document and set it before the judge. "I move that this be entered into evidence." He said.

"What is it?" Asked the judge.

"This," the examiner said, "is a document from the former magic council, recording a time when Gildarts Clive was asked to join the ranks of the 10 wizard saints. This document, along with Gildarts' testimony, is evidence that Natsu Dragneel is a very powerful wizard."

"Motion granted," the judge replied. The document was entered accordingly.

"Now, Gildarts, answer this question honestly. What do you think would've happened if Wendy Marvell hadn't intervened when Natsu Dragneel was fighting you?"

Gildarts looked to the defense counselor, who immediately stood up.

"Objection your honor. The witness's guess as to what might have occurred has no relevance to what actually did happen."

"Sustained."

"Your honor," the examiner said. "With all due respect, Gildarts' experience as a wizard makes this testimony of paramount importance. We're talking about a wizard whose magic power is on par with, if not greater than, the 10 wizard saints."

"Examiner, I think we all have ideas of what may or may not have happened if Miss Marvell had not intervened. But she did. Therefore, what might have happened is not a relevant argument to this investigation."

The examiner sighed. "Alright. Let's try this. Gildarts, did you sustain any injuries deep enough to leave lasting scars from that fight?"

Gidarts looked at the defense counselor, his eyes asking if they could stop this line of questioning, but the counselor shook his head.

"A couple," he replied, shrugging it off.

"So Natsu Dragneel did enough bodily damage to cause scarring?"

"A little scarring is nothing for a wizard fight."

"The witness will just answer the question," the judge said.

Gildarts sighed. "Yes."

"Thank you," the examiner said.

And the time ticked on.

 **~~~Later, the first day~~~**

"We now call Natsu Dragneel to the stand."

Wendy approached the stand with Natsu, and immediately the examiner stood. "Objection!" He cried out. "Why is this girl accompanying Natsu Dragneel?"

"I'm curious to know that as well, counselor." The judge said.

"Your honor, in the time that Natsu has been back, it has been demonstrated many times that Wendy has a calming influence on Natsu Dragneel. We have several eyewitness statements to that effect," he added, presenting the documents. "Including statements from medical professionals. We therefore request that Wendy Marvell be present whenever Natsu Dragneel is being questioned."

The judge took a few minutes to look over the documents. "So long as she does not speak, I see no reason that we can't allow that."

"But your honor!" the examiner exclaimed.

"I said I'll allow it," the judge cut him off. "I think we both agree it's in the best interest of everyone that master Dragneel remain calm."

After Natsu took the stand, the defense counselor smiled at him encouragingly.

"Natsu Dragneel, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do."

"You may begin."

"Natsu," the defense counselor began. "How do you feel about your guild?"

"Objection!" The examiner cried out. "What possible relevance could this have to this trial?"

"Your honor," the defense counselor said. "The point of this investigation is to determine whether it is safe to allow Natsu Dragneel to remain with his guild. In order to do this, we must establish a frame of reference for how he relates to them."

"I'll allow the question," the judge said. "The witness will please answer the question."

Natsu smiled. "Well, the guild is my family." He said confidently. "They're the people I can count on no matter what. The people I care about the most."

"Would you intentionally cause harm to them?"

"No." Natsu replied, his voice still confident and firm. "I would rather die than hurt one of our own."

"So Natsu, how did you feel after your fight with Gildarts?" The counselor knew it was a hard question, but if he didn't ask it the examiner would, and he wouldn't be nice about it.

Natsu cringed, a shadow of pain crossing his face. Wendy squeezed his shoulder gently.

"It really tore me apart…" He said after a few moments. "After that happened, I knew I couldn't fight anymore duels… not till I figured things out."

"And have you figured things out?"

"Not yet, but it's getting better." Natsu grinned. "Wendy's been a great help. I know with some more time I'll be able to fight again."

"Thanks Natsu," the defense counsel smiled reassuringly. "That's great. Just a couple more questions."

The rest of the testimony also went well. There were a couple of tense moments, but Natsu would look to Wendy any time things got too intense, and he could calm down.

Then it was the examiner's turn. He stepped up to the chair and asked his first question.

"Natsu Dragneel, what did you see when you attacked Gildarts Clive?"

Every muscle in Natsu's body tensed, and the defense counselor jumped up. "Objection! What he saw at that moment has no bearing on this investigation."

"Your honor," the examiner said. "We are here to investigate whether Natsu Dragneel could pose a danger to others. Therefore, it is very relevant what he was seeing at that moment."

"I'll allow it," the judge said. "But proceed carefully, examiner. The witness will answer the question."

"I… I had a flashback," Natsu said, gripping the sides of the witness chair.

"That's not what I asked. What did you see?"

Natsu's heart was beating faster, his face flushed as his mind started to go back. Not back to the moment in battle with Gildarts Clive, but what he'd seen before. Wendy saw the fear forming on his face, and grabbed his shoulder, letting her touch and warmth remind him that she was near.

"Sustained," the judge was saying. "I warned you to proceed carefully, examiner. For the purposes of this investigation it is not important to know the details of what he saw. This is your first warning. I won't tolerate any further infractions."

The examiner stopped, looked at his notes, and then turned to the judge.

"Your honor, it's getting late. I move we adjourn for the evening and resume our cross-examination tomorrow."

"The counselors will approach the bench."

After a brief discussion, the judge announced his decision. "The court will adjourn until tomorrow morning at 8:00."

 **~~~The next morning~~~**

It was almost 8:00, and everyone was seated in their place when the examiner arrived. The judge called Natsu up to the stand, and had him sworn in. Then the examiner turned to the judge.

"Your honor," he said. "I move that the witness be questioned alone, and the girl be removed to a separate room where she can watch through a communications lacrima."

"We've already been over this," the judge sighed. "There is no reason to question him alone when Wendy can help him maintain a stable frame of mind."

"We think it's important to the court's decision," the examiner said. "Which is why we had this created."

He opened the door, and some men brought in a chair that looked the same as the current chair that Natsu was sitting in. The examiner went to it and sat down. Then said, "permission to proceed?"

"Permission granted," the judge replied.

"This chair is just like the witness chair that is currently in use," he said. "with one key difference. There is a strong magical barrier around this chair that will prevent even the most powerful magic from breaking out and damaging anything outside the barrier. The only direction not protected is underneath. The barrier works both ways, of course, and is activated by this lacrima." He held up a small activation lacrima.

"Now when I close the barrier." He activated the lacrima. "No magic can reach me. Please demonstrate."

Several mages from the royal guard simultaneously cast various spells at the examiner. All of them bounced harmlessly off the air about 10 feet from the examiner.

"So you see, as long as he's inside this barrier, nobody will have anything to worry about." The examiner said.

"Your honor, I can't see what this could possibly contribute to this investigation—"

"I'll allow it," the judge said. "I think it's important to see exactly what could happen."

"Take the girl to one of the adjacent rooms." The judge said.

"Wendy?" Natsu looked up at her, a little panicked. He wasn't ready to face this alone yet.

"You'll be ok Natsu," Wendy said, fear in her own eyes as the guards pulled her away from him. "Just think of me… You'll be ok…"

The examiner smiled, deactivated the magic barrier, and changed places with Natsu.

From inside the room, Wendy watched through the visual communications lacrima as Natsu took the new stand.

The examiner stood back a little ways as he switched the magic barrier on. Once he was seated, the examiner started his questioning.

"Ok Natsu, I want you to start by telling me how you saw Gildarts Clive."

"Gildarts?" Natsu looked over at the powerful Crash mage. "Well, he's super strong. I've always looked up to him as a mage, and he was kind of like a second foster-father to me…"

"Second? Who was your first foster-father?"

"Igneel."

"And what happened to Igneel?"

"Objection your honor, I don't see how this is relevant. And this is all information that is available to anyone who wants to take the time to read it."

"Sustained. I agree, digging into Natsu Dragneel's past is irrelevant to the current investigation."

"Yes your honor." The examiner paused, then started again. "Natsu, what is your relationship to the black wizard, Zeref Dragneel?"

"Objection your honor! This investigation is not about the black wizard Zeref."

"Sustained. Examiner, this is your second warning. If you don't have any relevant questions to ask the witness, dismiss him."

The examiner scowled, but turned back to Natsu again. "Natsu, you said you would do anything to protect your friends, right?"

"Absolutely," Natsu confirmed.

"Does that include locking yourself up so you can't hurt them?"

"If that was necessary," He said with no hesitation.

"What were you feeling when you hurt Gildarts?"

"Objection, your honor. The witness already answered that question."

"Your honor, this is an entirely different question. I'm not asking what he saw, or how he felt afterward. I want to know what he was feeling when it was happening."

"I'll allow it, to a point." The judge said, giving the examiner a cautionary look.

"I…" Natsu struggled, looking around for Wendy. From the other room, she could see the fear in his eyes that he would get when he was worried he might lose control. "I felt…" His mind started to flash back to the time.

"What did you feel, Natsu Dragneel?" The examiner asked again. "What went through your mind as you beat your father-figure mercilessly. Did you feel anything? Or was it like crushing an ant on the sidewalk?"

"Objection your honor!"

"Sustained! Examiner…"

But the examiner continued. "What was it you were seeing, Natsu Dragneel? Who are you really? Show us what you're capable of!"

"EXAMINER! THAT IS ENOUGH. I find you in contempt of court!"

The examiner was still smiling, as all eyes were on Natsu. His eyes were no longer that of the dragon slayer that had been so confident a few minutes ago. Instead, they were replaced by glowing orbs, and the chair and floor were burning away under his magic power. His arms turned to dragon arms, his hands to claws and talons. A huge firestorm erupted inside the barrier, destroying the chair and the floor and creating an enormous crater. The dragon slayer flew at the barrier, delivering an enormously powerful blow.

"Don't worry," The examiner said as some of the spectators began to back up. "This barrier was built to withstand the magic of the ten wizard saints. It won't break.

Natsu continued to attack the barrier, throwing punch after punch. His hands were wrapped in fire, and below him the crater was just getting deeper.

Then suddenly, the barrier shattered, and his magic aura spilled out as an enormous heat wave. People ducked behind whatever was available to shield them from the heat as the dragon slayer leapt toward the examiner.

"NATSU!" Wendy broke through the last guards with her sky dragon's talon and intercepted the dragon slayer, accepting the damage from the attack as she wrapped her arms around him. The two tumbled to the ground, and she mumbled his name through tears. "Natsu… I'm here Natsu…"

Slowly the dragon slayer calmed down. There were relieved sighs all around the courtroom as the heat receded. Natsu collapsed into Wendy's arms, exhausted by the enormous expenditure of energy.

"Natsu," the blue-haired girl cried, ignoring the damage she'd taken from the hit. She cradled his head in her lap.

Up in the spectator area, Mirajane took one look at the judge's face. Then she looked at Laxus. "Come on Laxus."

"Where are we going?" Laxus asked.

"To our last hope…. And dear Mavis do I hope I'm right about this."

With that cryptic reply, they left.

"Now you see what Natsu Dragneel is capable of!" The examiner exclaimed triumphantly. "Is there any question where he belongs? We can't risk him doing that in a public place. Imagine how many people would get hurt. How many would die."

The judge hit the gavel with a shaky hand. "The court will deliberate for 15 minutes."

 **~~~15 minutes later~~~**

"The court has come to a decision in this investigation." The judge drew a deep breath, looking apologetically at Fairy Tail. "It is the decision of this court that Natsu Dragneel, for his own safety as well as the safety of others, is to be temporarily confined with anti-magic containment barriers until such time as a medical expert deems it safe to release him."

"No!" Wendy cried as some guards separated her from Natsu. "No! You can't take him! You can't!"

"I'm sorry, Wendy, but it's for his own good," said the judge.

Wendy could only watch as they snapped the anti-magic handcuffs on the dragon slayer.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters. It all belongs to Hiro Mashima.

Alright, so this chapter basically wraps this up. May throw in an epilogue at some point, but may not either. We'll see.

But anyway, this is complete now. Enjoy**

* * *

Wendy collapsed to the floor as the guards led her heart away. Even though she'd said it could happen, her mind never actually acknowledged it as a possibility. Now it was like a nightmare coming true. The pain in her heart from losing him the first time was just starting to recede. And now she was losing him again.

She folded to the floor, her body turning to jelly. Tears streamed from her eyes as her body shook, but no sound came out. The pain was too intense for that. Her heart was being forcefully torn from her chest.

"Stop!"

Wendy looked up through her tears. Standing in the doors to the court room were the two last people anybody probably expected to see there.

"Your majesty," The judge said, bowing. The king was indeed standing in the doorway, with the princess right beside him. On the other side was Arcadios.

"Your majesty," said the examiner. "With all due respect, the defendant has undergone a fair trial, and the verdict has been handed down."

"You say a fair trial?" Said the king. He turned to face the judge. "Is it not true that the examiner harassed the defendant in an attempt to push him past his limit?"

"Yes, your majesty." The judge replied.

"And is that behavior acceptable in my courts?"

"No, your majesty, but the dragon slayer…"

"If the dragon slayer had not been intentionally harassed by the examiner, would this incident have occurred?"

"Probably not, your majesty."

The king stepped forward. "People of Fiore," he said to all those who were gathered there. "I first met Natsu Dragneel after the grand magic games, when he brought down the evil man from the future and sent the dragons back to their own time. Before that, and since then, Natsu Dragneel has continuously put himself in harm's way for the sake of Fiore."

"I don't often exercise my power as king in this capacity, but today I will. And I believe I'm totally justified in doing so. Natsu has protected all of us time and again. And now it's our turn to help him. Therefore, by my authority as king of Fiore, I hereby release Natsu Dragneel to the care of his guild."

Wendy's mind could barely process what was happening. All she knew was that her dragon slayer was coming back to her again. Her heart fluttered as he rushed to her, scooping her into his arms and planting a kiss on her lips.

"Natsu," she whispered, realizing again how much she needed him. How much she needed his touch. "You're not leaving me…" Her head nuzzled into his chest, a small smile daring to form on her lips.

"Never again Wendy," the dragon slayer whispered to her. "You're everything to me."

She nestled against him, the last of winter's bitter cold fading from her heart as the warm rays of summer broke through. Right now he was her rock. The strength that she didn't have to go on. He would always be her rock, even when she whispered comforting words to still the pain of his last few years. Even when he was curled up, whimpering beside her, he was still her rock. And the more she saw of his vulnerable heart, the more she loved him and needed him.

 **~~~Natsu~~~**

At first he couldn't believe this was happening. He'd just resigned himself to life in a cold cell, and now the cuffs were off. And as he turned, there was Wendy, looking up at him from the floor with a faint glimmer of hope breaking through the tears that clouded her beautiful brown eyes.

As soon as he was free he ran to her, scooping her off the floor into his arms. Everything about her was amazing. Her scent, the warmth of her body against his, her perfect lips. The silent strength that carried him when his own failed. That was his Wendy. So much more than he ever could've guessed when he left six years before.

"Natsu," she whispered, clinging to him. "You're not leaving me." He felt his chest grow damp from her tears as she nuzzled against him.

"Never again Wendy," he promised her. "You're everything to me." And he meant every word of it.

He heard the members of the guild surround them, and offered all of them his best smile as they laughed and cried. He didn't let go of Wendy, and she didn't seem to mind. She was clinging tightly to him as though she would never let go, and he hoped she never would.

 **~~~In a house near Blue Pegasus, a few days later~~~**

"Damn it Lucy, you forgot to clean my office again." Eve said.

Lucy scowled. Ever since about a month after their marriage things had changed. Eve transformed from the flirty, always flattering person she'd married to a demanding master who expected his wife to do everything for him. She sometimes felt more like a servant than a wife.

"Oh, your old flame is back. Apparently he's with Wendy now." Eve tossed a newspaper at her. The headline read, "Natsu Dragneel Pardoned by King Fiore in Surprise Ending to Investigation." The picture showed Natsu, surrounded by the old members of Fairy Tail, with Wendy Marvell in his strong arms. The girl was clinging to him.

Lucy felt pangs of jealousy and regret stir as she looked at the picture. "That could've been mine…" she whispered to her stuff.

"Whenever you're done gawking at your old guild, start getting dinner ready." Eve said. "I'm hungry."

Lucy sighed and headed to the kitchen. Karma's a bitch.

 **~~~Back at the guild~~~**

"YEAH! BRING ME ANOTHER!" Cana yelled, finishing the last dregs of the keg she was currently working on.

Chairs, tables, and magic were flying everywhere. It was the third straight day of partying at Fairy Tail, and Erza Scarlet, the ninth master, sighed. Parties were fun, but they were sooo damn expensive.

She heard a happy sigh behind her, and followed the gaze of Mirajane. She was looking at Natsu, who was sitting far from the brawl, with Wendy next to him. She wasn't sure that she'd seen the two actually physically separate since the trial. But that was ok. The emotional trauma both had experienced in those short two days was enough to last a lifetime.

It was hard to believe. The trial had been a battle she never would've expected Fairy Tail to have to fight for one of their own, but the battle had been fought, and won. Thanks to Mirajane's quick thinking.

 **~~~Flashback~~~**

Mirajane and Laxus burst through the guards into the king's throne room, surprising the king, the princess, and their attendants. Guards ran in behind them to seize them, but the king stopped them with his hand.

"Normally the two of you would be in great trouble right now, but I know you as Fairy Tail mages. What's so important that you would disregard all protocol?"

Mirajane and Laxus both bowed deeply, and Mirajane did the talking. She was watching the princess in her peripheral the whole time.

"Your majesty, it's concerning Natsu Dragneel."

"Natsu?" The king looked surprised, and she saw a mixture of surprise and worry on the princess's face. "I thought he was dead."

"He's not dead, but he's been horribly scarred by the last six years in his life. I'll explain it all to you later, your majesty, but if we're not quick the council will put him in a prison cell for an indefinite time on the pretense that he's a danger to his loved ones."

"A council hearing is not something to be taken lightly," the king said, clearly pondering what he was being told.

"I think you'll agree when you hear everything, and we can talk on the way. For now, let's just say that Natsu's calling in the favor you promised after he took down Zeref…"

"I did promise him if he was ever in trouble I'd help," the king said after looking at the princess, who was clearly anxious to go to Natsu's aid. "Alright, I'll come with you, but talk while we're leaving. I don't want to go into the trial blind…"

 **~~~END FLASHBACK~~~**

Erza's smile faltered a little as she thought of just how narrow an escape it had been. Just a couple minutes later and Natsu would've been in the council prison, where even the king would've had an uphill battle to get him out. The council had a powerful arm, and they weren't afraid to extend it. But they didn't dare oppose the king in front of the bystanders who had gathered for the second day of the trial.

But even though he wasn't at the center of the excitement, he was still ultimately the cause of it. None of the Fairy Tail members who'd lived through the last 6 years would doubt that. The guild just felt more… alive with Natsu around.

"I suppose that's to be expected," Erza muttered, staring fondly at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "After all, it's pretty hard to stay alive when your heart's been ripped out."

And Natsu Dragneel had always been, in a very tangible way, the heart of Fairy Tail.

 **~~~Two years later~~~**

"Mama, are they really coming?"

"Yes honey, they'll be here soon. The two dragons of Ishgar."

"Will the salamander show us some fire magic?"

"Of course he will, honey."

The crowd was gathered in the capital city of Crocus, awaiting the return of legends. As the pair came into the city, children flocked toward both of them, particularly swarming the pink-haired man in the black cloak.

"Wendy help! I'm overmatched!" He cried out, falling to the ground as the children swarmed him.

The blue-haired mage smiled as she watched, the children giggling as the dragon slayer disappeared under the swarm. Natsu had come a long way since returning from his 6 years of hell. It hadn't been an easy road for either of them. There were still days when the dragon slayer would retreat from the world, burying himself in a thick shield that only Wendy could penetrate. But he was in control of himself again. In the last 6 months that he'd been able to fully use his magic again, the pair had made a name for themselves among the people of Fiore.

Natsu was ranked highest of the 10 wizard saints, and some say that his power even outmatched God Serena. Many mages were envious of that power. Wendy, who was a powerful mage in her own right, was not. Nor was anyone else in Fairy Tail. Not even Gray, his rival. They understood the terrible cost of his strength. They knew he would be scarred for the rest of his life. And nobody saw that more than Wendy.

Some nights she still comforted him as he awoke screaming, shaking with terror at visions from the past. Some days she could do no more than sit by his side as the painful memories overwhelmed him. But through it all they remained solid. Each giving the other the strength to move forward.

And neither could ask for more than that.


End file.
